interlinkages & human impacts - P Flashcards
what are the similarities of carbon and water cycles
- both essential to life
- continuously cycle in a closed system at a global scale
- share similar stores - biosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere
- have spatial and temporal variations
- influenced by similar human activities climate change, deforestation and agriculture
how does the atmosphere link carbon and water cycles
water is exchanged from the atmosphere between oceans and plants which are both important carbon stores
how do the oceans link carbon and water cycles
ocean acidity increases when CO2 is imbalanced, low temps means higher solubility of CO2 into oceans. CO2 levels influence temperature and the melting of ice sheets and glaciers
how do vegetation and soil link the carbon and water cycles
water availability influences photosynthesis and NPP. Water storage increases with organic content. Temperature and rainfall affect decomposition rates (CO2)
how does the cryosphere link the carbon and water cycles
CO2 levels determine intensity of greenhouse affect and melting of ice. Melting exposes land and permafrost exposes organic matter which can be decomposed producing CO2 and CH4
what can water depletion lead to
aquifers can have saltwater intrusion due to over pumping of aquifers
how many tonnes of CO2 are released by burning fossil fuels each year
8 billion tonnes
how much has historic forest cover decreased due to deforestation
50%
from 1901 to 2020 how much did global temperatures rise
1.1 degree Celsius
how much did sea level rise accelerate
1.7mm/year in the 20th century to 3.2mm/year since 1993
how much has the area covered in sea ice shrunk since 1979
40%
how much permafrost is at risk of melting
85%
how much has the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere risen by since 1958
25%
how much has the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere risen by since the industrial revolution
40%
which ecosystem is most vulnerable to climate change
the arctic
how do plants adapt to climate change
can bloom earlier or expand their geographic range
what causes plants and animals to not be able to adapt
increasing temperatures and changing precipitation patterns
what happens to invasive species due to climate change
they may thrive in even more places because of climate change
how much CO2 in the atmosphere (from fossil fuels) is absorbed by the oceans
30%
what happens as the ocean becomes more acidic
it cannot absorb as much CO2 and kills phytoplankton
what does thermal expansion cause
rising sea levels, ice sheets and glaciers melting, coastal areas become more at risk of erosion and storm surge
what increases the frequency of flooding and droughts due to climate change
more frequent and stronger events
in areas with little precipitation but snow what do they use as a fresh water source
snowpack
as temperatures warm what happens to snowpack
there is less of it so it is not a reliable source for warm seasons
what happens to water as there is more evaporation
there is more water vapour which is a natural greenhouse gas
what happens to water storage in the cryosphere due to climate change
it decreases as it is transferred to the oceans and the atmosphere
what means that hurricanes and storms become more frequent and more powerful
water vapour is a source f energy so extreme weather events become more frequent and stronger
how much of the worlds energy relies on fossil fuels
84% of primary energy consumption
for how many years has the exploitation of fossil fuels gained momentum
the past 30 years
how many tonnes of carbon are put into the atmosphere each year by burning
8 billion tonnes
how much carbon is transferred to the atmosphere each year from land use (deforestation etc.)
1 billion tonnes
how much carbon is absorbed by the oceans each year
2.5 million tonnes
how much carbon is absorbed by the biosphere each year
around 2.5 million tonnes
what happens to decomposition rates when temps increase
decomposition increases so carbon transfer’s accelerate
what happens when forests are replaced with grasslands
they store less carbon
what will happen to boreal forests due to climate change
they will expand poleward as they can now survive there also
what happens to peat stores due to climate change
they decompose due to oxidation
how much forest cover ahs deforestation reduced it by
50%
how much CO2 is absorbed by phytoplankton from the burning of fossil fuels
they absorb more than half of the CO2 from burning fossil fuels
why do soils store less carbon
due to erosion from deforestation and agricultural mismanagement
what happens to carbon stores in wetlands when they are drained
the carbon is released
they are usually drained for cultivation or urban development
what are the 3 main water management strategies
- forestry techniques
- water allocation decision making
- drainage basin planning
what are forestry techniques
is creating and managing planting and use of forests to maintain a healthy ecosystem. This is usually a protected area where there are rules and boundaries about what you can//cannot do.
what are the advantages of forestry techniques
- stabilizes the regional water cycle
- offsets 1.4 billion tonnes of carbon each year
- supports indigenous forest communities
- promotes ecotourism
- protects the genetic bank of plant species in the forests
what are the disadvantages of forestry techniques
- skills gap - lack of awareness and education to enforce can lead to primary forest loss
- can create monocultures that are vulnerable to disease and reduce biodiversity
- not all areas are protected / will always be protected
what is water allocation and decision making
in countries with water scarcity, the government has to make decisions to do with allocation of water
what are the advantages of water allocation and decision making
- increases water use efficiency as well as preserving resources for future use
- promotes fair and equitable distribution of water resources
what are the disadvantages of water allocation and decision making
- competition for water allocation can result in conflicts
- human uses are often prioritized over environmental considerations
- can be difficult to monitor
- areas may be so affected by drought allocation schemes are insufficient
what is drainage basin planning
when building is rarely done on floodplains as it is planned to reduce damage in case of a flood - farmland may be on the floodplain and houses higher up the drainage basin
what are the advantages of drainage basin planning
- balances human use with environmental considerations
- protects both surface water and groundwater storage supplies
- green roofs and nature based solutions which promote biodiversity and conserve water.
what are the disadvantages of drainage basin planning
- areas heavily affected by drought it may not work
- building on floodplains may still occur
- monitoring and enforcement can be difficult
- may be hard where floodplains have already been built on
what are the 6 main carbon management strategies
- afforestation
-reducing emissions - wetland restoration
- improving agricultural practices
- direct air capture (DOC)
- carbon capture and storage (CCS)
what is afforestation
the establishment of a forest or group of trees in a previously empty area
what are the advantages of afforestation
- it has large carbon sequestration potential if it is done on a sufficient scale
what are the disadvantages of afforestation
- expensive on a large scale
- replacing natural ecosystems can affect biodiversity
- takes time for trees to grow to full carbon sequestration potential
how do people reduce emissions
through international agreements or cap & trade where businesses are given CO2 quotas
what is wetland restoration
the manipulation of a former or degraded wetland to return to its natural functions
what are the advantages of wetland restoration
- wetlands are a natural flood defense
- large carbon sequestration if done on a sufficient scale
what are the disadvantages of wetland restoration
- takes time to restore
- loss of biodiversity may be difficult to reverse
- farmers may need reimbursement
- may raise flood risks nearby
how do people improve agricultural practices
managing land and crops by preserving soils and growing crops among trees
what are the advantages of improving agricultural practices
- low cost to implement
- benefits farmers yield through increased soil fertility
what are the disadvantages of improving agricultural practices
- skills gap - lack of education/ awareness
- has to be large scale to make a difference
- difficult to measure emission benefits
- would need specific solutions based on local area
what is direct air capture (DAC)
where CO2 is directly removed from the air
what are the advantages of direct air capture (DAC)
- a realistic option that allows economic development while addressing C02 issues
- can address historic emissions that have already been released
what are the disadvantages of direct air capture (DAC)
- very expensive
- new technology so unsure of its scale
- may not reduce emissions as some countries will rely on storing emissions
what is carbon capture and storage (CCS)
where carbon emissions can be directly captured and then pumped underground
what are the advantages of carbon capture and storage (CCS)
- a realistic option that allows economic development while addressing C02 issues
- could be long term as it uses spaces in rock from fossil fuel extraction
- many projects underway - may be successful in the future
what are the disadvantages of carbon capture and storage (CCS)
- very expensive so not available to all
- emissions captured are smaller than produced
- countries may not reduce emissions as they can just store them
